Coverage, acrylic on linen, 24x18The vast darkness in Haiti
and brightly-lit reporters
drawing pictures with their hands
and brightly-lit reporters
drawing pictures with their hands
The black tee-shirted reporter blended into the background of tall dark trees and sky; only his head, neck, and hands were visible. The movements were jerky--like an old-time movie. I couldn't stop watching.
This is not a portrait; it is, however, the image that stayed with me. The hands are mine--the crooked little finger was broken and pinned in 1964. Building art from parts.
This is hard to photograph; the only black in the actual painting is the tee shirt. The sky is dark blue; the trees raw umber with sap green. I should probably read the book that came with the camera.
This is not a portrait; it is, however, the image that stayed with me. The hands are mine--the crooked little finger was broken and pinned in 1964. Building art from parts.
This is hard to photograph; the only black in the actual painting is the tee shirt. The sky is dark blue; the trees raw umber with sap green. I should probably read the book that came with the camera.
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Such a dramatic work- it's beautiful. I like how the hands are the predominant feature. At least from my view- I see the red heartbeat signature up top- racing towards extinction then becoming a bit more regular.
ReplyDeleteI don't watch the news coverage- yes I care very much- and I listen some on the radio- but the deep depression that sets in from hearing the commentators is too overwhelming. (I learned this the hard way from 9/11 and then New Orleans.) I can tell from your painting that you have been deeply affected.
Hi Pam. Yes, the hands got me. I like your interpretation that the line is a heartbeat for the earth; you've definitely got the soul of an artist--empathy is important. I was aiming for the Richter Scale--later I noticed the similarity. Either way, it's a bloody line.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I can't watch much news coverage. I was tuned in to my 11:30 p.m. Charlie Rose show when he brought this reporter on--maybe the first live report from Haiti. I remember flickering transmission and lighting, but I don't remember a single word of what was said.
Fascinating! I cannot take my eyes off of this. Amazing work, Hallie...
ReplyDelete-Don
Very expressive! As a former geologist, I really appreciate the seismogram in red. You have a unique way of expressing feelings - love this!
ReplyDeleteDon, thank you. I guess it was that voice again saying "Don't shy away from the strange."
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kathy. I need to make a list of all the things you've done--I continue to be amazed.
ReplyDeletehwfarber...this has just the right amount of symbol and the design is so strong. In a way.. the hands remind me of the "devine" --like the sacred heart statue in a Catholic church..http://www.catholicfamilygifts.com/images/products/detail/statue-figurine/27019.jpg
ReplyDeleteI really love this. You've given it all the weight that the situation demands.
Yeah, You hit the nail on the head w/this one. I think I've said before that I like how your mind works! I bet this would do well (sell) in one of those auctions I've been noticing for Haiti Relief. Great job.
ReplyDeleteHi Hallie, I agree with all above. The design is great. The simplicity (or apparent simplicity) certainly makes for a strong, compelling statement!
ReplyDeleteCeleste, thank you. The darkness was a big part of this; it was as if the only light in the world was on the reporter. I'll check out the statue.
ReplyDeleteSue, thanks for the comment. I'm not sure my mind works the right way--it's probably just a jumble of pictures.
Thanks Peggy. When I finished Coverage, I looked at it and wondered how I would "enter" the painting. Through the red line? or just jump in?
ReplyDeleteHi Hallie
ReplyDeleteDue to the power of this painting, it took a day of pondering before I could comment. Celeste's comment rings true for me, there is an iconic feeling with the hands. Reminds me of the Madonna and Child or Christ images with the large hands. Interesting, the hands. So much meaning behind hands...helping, reaching out, healing, praying.
The darkness can have great meaning too. Like many of the comments, I too have had some difficulty watching, reading the news. Yet. It sits with us doesn't it?
Wonderful Painting!
Hi Indigomar. There is something about the painting that seems familiar. The hands are very much in the forefront; I remember that about the newscast (unlike regular TV news). I did a preliminary sketch that looked like Anderson Cooper but I didn't want this to be any one person--the face has little detail and is almost a mix of Cooper, Pres. Clinton, and Leslie Neilson; white-haired people.
ReplyDeleteI stuck with the darkness because I knew what was behind it was so much worse. Earthquakes were a frequent childhood nightmare; in my version, though, the earth cracked open.
Here's what I'm wondering. I had drawn an armature of the rectangle (thanks to Kathy) on this canvas (prepped for the sweet potato painting). I used that for placement of the hands--maybe that's why it ended up looking familiar; probably been done a million times, just not with my hands.
Hallie, This image has haunted me all day. I had to figure out why. After much consideration here are my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteMy first "feelings" upon seeing this painting last night were the words apocalyptic and judgment. I thought it had to do with the hands, but couldn't put my finger on it. (no pun intended) So, I got out my art history books and went to the gothic and middle ages. I knew what I was looking for had to be from sometime in those eras.
First I found Pietro Cavallini's painting "Last Judgment" from the the Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastervere in Rome: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cavallini_Judgment.jpg. The pose of the hands of one of the apostle/judges is very similar. (Thankfully he's not looking at me.)
Another image I found was called "Woman of the Apocalypse", by Harrad of Landsberg. I think you'll enjoy reading about this artist: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Herrad_of_Landsberg. I searched online for the image I found in Frederick Hartt's "A History of Art", but alas, no luck. If you happen to have the books, check out page 478 in Volume 1.
And there it was. Both of my thoughts were confirmed. But, are they because my subconscious remembered these images which I had not studied for 20+ years. Or, are they indicative of this work? I like to think both.
An interesting side note. I noticed in several paintings that if the hands are reversed it is a sign of covenant. Look at Jan Van Eyck's "Arnolfini Wedding" and " Sandro Botticelli's "Primavera". Both are available on Wikipedia under the artists' names.
-Don
Hi Don. What a researcher you are!
ReplyDeleteI looked at all the images (except "Woman of the Apocalypse"). I enjoyed reading about the artist and will go back for more. I had a passing familiarity with "Arnolfini Wedding" and "Primavera"--of course, I never know names of paintings. "Last Judgment" did not ring a bell.
We never know what others will see in our work. When I finished it, I thought it might look a bit like a political cartoon of President Clinton, or of some white-haired evangelist. Then I thought "He could be a crossing guard, or someone singing 'Stop--In the Name of Love.'" I had not been aiming for a cartoon--I was trying to say something about the fringe of disaster, I guess. I don't think a painting could depict the horror of the actual earthquake.
As a child I did spend a lot of time in the pews of the Baptist Church--not listening to the preacher--I was looking at those scary reproductions of paintings in the Bible.
I do think you know just about everything about art and I really appreciate your comments. Thank you.
And, Don, I'll bet you saw some of those same Bible pictures!
ReplyDeleteHallie, I dare say I did see a lot of those images during my tenure in those Baptist pews. It was either that or read all the carvings left behind on the back of the pews in front of me.
ReplyDeleteAs far as how much I know about art - I'm really just scratching the surface. But, I'm always looking to learn more. -Don
A powerful image. I can really detect the religeousness that Don did. It's almost like something from The Exorcist!
ReplyDeleteMark, The Exorcist?? I remember reading that; then waiting in a long line to see the movie. Mostly, I wanted to see her head turn around.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how this painting got into religion. My guess is--it's the black Gap tee shirt and placement of the hands.
Don, we didn't have any carvings to read. I did, however, always enjoy reading bathroom walls--a lost art. It's on my list of "paintings to do."
Hallie, very powerful! The hands, the dark, the lighting, the red line - lots of emotion here. This is the first painting I've seen related to Haiti's disaster and I will never forget it. Living in earthquake country, disasters like these bring out my primal fear. I run away from painting my feelings to dally in California poppies. Your ability to confront your feelings on canvas says a lot about the person you are.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary. My daughter lived in Palo Alto for a while and I worried. My brother lived in Pasadena for a long time and I worried. When I visited, California was so beautiful and had such great weather earthquakes never entered my mind.
ReplyDeleteI just painted my interpretation of what I saw on the screen.